David "Buck" Townsend

He was the former Greene County Sheriff for 8 years.

Mr. Townsend was a member of Trinity United Methodist Church.

He retired as Captain of the Greeneville Police Department, where he served for 26 years, 1959-1985. He also served as a U.S. Marshal. He was a member of the Greeneville Moose Lodge #692, the Tennessee Sheriff’s Association, Tennessee Law Enforcement, Shriners 5681 – Tennessee Higher Degree #691, Greeneville Eastern Star #223, American Legion #0064, VFW Post #1990, AARP Association, Knoxville Scottish Rite Bodies, Greene County Shrine Club, and the Jericho Shrine Temple. He was a member of the Greeneville Masonic Lodge #3F&AM, where he held a 32nd degree.

He earned his B.A. degree from ETSU and was a U.S. Army veteran, serving in Germany during the Korean Conflict.

Survivors include his wife: Doris Dupes Renner Townsend; daughter and son-in-law: Jeanne and Vincent Tweed of Greeneville; grandson: Andrew Tweed of Greeneville; stepdaughter: Mary C. Renner of Greeneville; stepson and step daughter-in-law: Mike and Marlene Renner of Fall Branch; step granddaughters: Skyla Renner of Fall Branch, Tara Honeycutt and husband Chad of Victoria, Texas; step grandson: Dr. James Renner and wife, Dr. Kellie Renner of Richmond, Virginia; and two step great grandsons: Reilly and Dallas Honeycutt of Victoria, Texas. Buck thought of his step children as his own children. His survivors also include his god children: Rick and Charlene Chandley; sister-in-law and brother-in-law: Mildred and Rhea Snapp of Limestone; sister-in-law: Joyce Jones of Greeneville; and a brother-in-law: Jackie Fannon of Greeneville.

He was the son of the late Lillie Townsend Taylor and was preceded in death by his first wife, Patsy Fannon Townsend.

The family will receive friends 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. Saturday at Kiser-Rose Hill Funeral Home preceding the funeral service at 8:00 p.m. in the funeral home chapel. Rev. Nick Bailey, Rev. Tim Evans, and Rev. Clarence Gammil will officiate.

Interment will follow at 2:00 p.m. Sunday in GreeneLawn Memory Gardens. The Greene County Honor guard and the Tennessee National Guard will conduct a military graveside service. Family and friends are requested to meet at the funeral home at 1:15 p.m. Sunday to go in procession to the cemetery for the committal service.

His pallbearers will be Charles Kinser, Howard Thompson, Bill Bradley, Rhea Snapp, Ronnie Snapp, Glen Moore, Chris Clayman, and Ralph Roderick.

His honorary pallbearers include: Joe Sams, Billy Greenway, Rick Chandley, Larry Blalock, Dr. John Hamilton, Dr. Tom Beckner, Allison Lynch, Dr. Mandeep Bukshi, Dr. Nathan Horner, John Freshour, Bobby Wells, Hugh Wells, Franklin Painter, John Huffine, special friends at Caris Healthcare, Janet Varney, Kathy Clark, Tiffany Holt, Beverly Odom, Darlene Downey, Karen Harrison, Greeneville Police Department, and the Greene County Sheriff’s Department.